My A4 01 has 70,000 miles on it now and its about time for new shocks. I have the select ride option but not sure if I want to pony up the bucks to replace them with the OEM shocks. I have been looking at the Koni FSD's. I just don't know if the dealers around here in Utah are smart enough to turn my select ride off. Are there some sims out there and if so where can you get them.
Thanks in advance. Laurence

 

If you do a search, you can make your own sims by soldering a resistor into the old connector.
A tuner said he would turn them off the electronic ride for free, then recanted and installed sims. He said they were better. I just remember it was something like 300-400 for the installation with the sims.

 

I just took my select ride shocks off and bought z06 shocks. Several places sell the simulators that keep your car from throwing codes when using different shocks. Corvettegarage I know has them for $169. I posted my F-45 shocks on ebay if you are interested for less than $100 They had 48,000 miles on them. If you buy the simulators you can install any shocks you want without throwing codes and they are plug n play. I hope this helps.

 

Get the simulators and keep the shocks in the storage, and if you ever decided to sell the car you can put it back to stock.

 

Are you sure you need shocks? Have you simply tried airing up the tires to about 35 lbs cold? Do you need new tires? I have 76000 on my 02- on good roads in San Diego, and my factory shocks are fine. I remember spending thebig bucks to replace my C4 Bilsteins at 100K mileswith the new Edelbrock shocks- and ya know what... no difference. Jim

 

I did the sims (from Corvette Garage) and Bilstien sports to my 70K mile F45 equiped car. It was a noticeable improvment on mine.

 

There is a very easy and cheap fix to this delima. It's been posted here any times before. I recently install a set of Bilstein Sport shocks. Here is what I did and by golly IT WORKS!!!

Go to Radio Shack and get the following:

Wire Wound Resistors
271-132
10 watt 10 ohm
(The resistor is a 2 inch X 1/4 inch ceramic block with a solid silver wire on each end. Two in a pack so buy two packs.) $5.00

Underneath the car at each shock location there is a black wire running from the shock to a blue connector. The wire does not unhook at the shock but if you trace the wire you will find the connector. Disconnect the blue connector from its mate and remove the shock.

Take a pair of wire cutters and cut the wire as close to the shock as possible. You will be left with the cut wire on one end and the blue connector at the other. Remove about three inches from the black insulation to expose the two wires (black & white) that it conceals. Strip both of them back about an inch.

Insert the resistor into a rubber hose (w/the wires protruding from each end) to protect it; solder the resistor between the two bare wires (black & white) that originally went to the factory shock to complete the circuit. I used some water proof silicone to seal the solder and wrapped everything in electrical tape. Reconnect the blue connector. Tuck the package out of the way and secure with zip ties. This will fool the computer into thinking the F45 Shocks are still there (as the computer looks for its resistance). Install the replacement shock.

Repeat for all four corners and you will be good to go.

Did I mention that that total cost is $5 bucks!!!

 

Thanks for the info on the home made sims. Sounds like the way to go. I think I'm going to go with the Koni FSD's. Running around on 305/25/20's sure makes the rear end hop around over bumps.